Formation of oxide layers on aluminum, niobium, and tantalum in molten alkali metal carbonates

The electrochemical synthesis of niobium, tantalum, and aluminum oxide nanolayers is studied in the melt of lithium, sodium, and potassium carbonates with various additives to a salt phase in an oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature of 773 and 873 K. A scheme is proposed for high-temperature anion local activation of the process. © 2013 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd

Polyelectrolyte substrate coating for controlling biofilm growth at solid–air interface

Because bacteria–surface interactions play a decisive role in bacteria adhesion and biofilm spreading, it is essential to understand how biofilms respond to surface properties to develop effective strategies to combat them. Polyelectrolyte coating is a simple and efficient way of controlling surface charge and energy. Using polyelectrolytes of various types, with different molecular weights and polyelectrolyte solutions of various pH provides a unique approach to investigate the interactions between biofilms and their substrate. Here, the formation of Escherichia coli biofilms at a solid–air interface is explored, whereby charge and interfacial energy are tuned using polyelectrolyte coatings on the surface. Cationic coatings are observed to limit biofilm spreading, which remain more confined when using high molecular weight polycations. Interestingly, biofilm surface densities are higher on polycationic surfaces despite their well-studied bactericidal properties. Furthermore, the degree of polyelectrolyte protonation also appears to have an influence on biofilm spreading on polycation-coated substrates. Finally, altering the interplay between biomass production and surface forces with polyelectrolyte coatings is shown to affect biofilm 3D architecture. Thereby, it is demonstrated that biofilm growth and spreading on a hydrogel substrate can be tuned from confined to expanded, simply by coating the surface using available polyelectrolytes

The possibility of administration of glutamate receptors antagonists in the treatment of parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease is the slow-progressing chronic neurodegenerative disease. Modern medicine has not yet found methods of curing disease, however, the existing methods of conservative and surgical treatment significantly improve the patient’s quality of life and slow the progression of the diseas

Социальная активность современной молодежи: экологический аспект

This article deals with the problems of development of social activity of youth. Identified and justified the need for the development of environmental competence. The definition of environmental social activity. On the basis of the studyrevealed the main areas of the environmental activities of today's youthВ статье рассмотрены проблемы развития социальной активности молодежи. Выявлена и обоснована необходимость развития экологической компетентности. Дано определение экологической социальной активности. На основе проведенного исследования выявлены основные направления экологической деятельности современной молодеж

Features of micro- and ultrastructure of low-fat butter and its low-fat analogues

The aim of the research was to study the features of the structure of low-fat butter and butter pastes, which, in terms of composition and properties, more fully meet the requirements of a healthy diet than high-fat types of butter. The objects of research were: butter with fat content of 72.5%; butter with fat content of 55% made with the addition of skimmed milk powder; butter of the same fat content with the addition of stabilizers based on guar and xanthan gums and emulsifiers based on monoand diglycerides of fatty acids; butter pastes with fat content of 45% with similar additives used to increase the stability of the process of butter formation and improve the texture. The microstructure was studied using an MBI-6 microscope, and the ultramicrostructure was studied using a Phillips electron microscope. In the first case, the sample was prepared by crushing the sample, in the second one — by the method of ultrafast freeze-fracture and etching. Researches have shown that the use of the introduced ingredients improves the homogeneity of the structure of the studied products. Due to the ability of milk proteins and stabilizers to retain moisture, it is more evenly distributed and well retained in the fat matrix of the product, formed from crystalline and liquid fat in the form of a continuous phase, which is confirmed by a sufficient penetration depth of the fat-soluble dye. Plasma droplets in butter with fat content of 72.5% and 55% are more isolated than in butter pastes, as indicated by the greater penetration depth of the water-soluble dye. The average diameter of isolated moisture droplets in low-fat products was 3.3–5.4 μm, and the average diameter of the fat globules that form the basis of the crystalline framework was 5.4–7.4 μm, depending on the composition of the product. For butter with fat content of 72.5%, the values of these indicators were 2.8 and 4.0 μm. The results of the study indicate the presence of differences in the sizes of structural elements, but at the same time confirm the uniformity of the structure of low-fat products, allowing them to be attributed to dispersions «water-in-oil»

Ideals and principles of common wellbeing under social and humanistic paradigm

We attempt to specify ideals and principles of common wellbeing: saving economy, political attendance, full employment, education, equitable distribution. As a part of the study we have formulated the concept of so-called "other" society under the social-humanistic paradigm. As it was mentioned earlier, social systems can be described as open-end ones, which implies their constant interaction with environment expressed via matter, energy, and information exchange. Because of that, the functional and developmental regulations are characterized by the presence of constant alteration as well, which stipulates the high complexity of structuring valid prognoses. Subject vs. object feedback determines special peculiarities of social prognosis, namely, the ones that are capable of either self-fulfillment of self-destruction of prognostic model. In other words, the predicted future influences the actual future. In the conditions of the increasing instability and dynamics of social processes especially urgent is the problem of adequacy of innovative model. The specific feature of modern innovative processes is the fact that any information about the features of their occurrence is extremely fast becoming obsolete that, in turn, leads to the increase the gap between reality and model

Biotehnološka primjena gljive Lentinula edodes – od lentinana do lektina

Lentinula edodes was the first medicinal macrofungus to enter the realm of modern biotechnology. The present paper briefly reviews the history of the modern biotechnology of this mushroom starting with the production of the polysaccharide preparation lentinan, and ending with an overview of our own work regarding the production of lectins. Our work with lectins has involved studies of the effect of initial pH, carbon and nitrogen sources and the C:N ratio on lectin production in both the mycelium and culture medium. We have shown that lectin activity is related to morphological development, with the activity being highest in extracts of the pigmented mycelial films that precede fruiting body production.Lentinula edodes prva je medicinska gljiva koja se počela primjenjivati u suvremenoj biotehnologiji. U ovom se radu nalazi kratak pregled razvoja suvremene biotehnološke primjene te gljive, počevši od proizvodnje polisaharida lentinana pa sve do prikaza rezultata autora u proizvodnji lektina. Njihovo istraživanje obuhvaća ispitivanje učinka početne pH-vrijednosti, izvora ugljika i dušika te njihova omjera na nastanak lektina u podlozi za uzgoj micelija i kulture. Dokazano je da je aktivnost lektina povezana s morfološkim razvojem, te da je najveća u ekstraktima pigmentiranoga micelijskog filma koji prethodi nastanku plodišta

Development of the energy efficient residential low-rise house concept for the Ural region

In the article the problem of energy-efficient construction in Russia is considered. The energy-saving technologies and renewable energy sources acceptable in construction in the Ural region analysis is carried out. Main reasons of the irrational consumption of thermal energy are highlighted and the strategy of the energy-efficient construction development in the Urals is described. As a result of the research, a conceptual project of an individual residential house was developed. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd

Automated system for diagnosing craniocerebral injury

A Russian national computing and communication system designed to assist non-specialized physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of craniocerebral injury is described